Night of the Giant Everything Read Online Free PDF Page B

loud
thud.
    I shut my eyes as pain bolted through my body. I somersaulted off the step. Hit the next one. Bounced hard.
    Smacked my head again on the next step. I let out a groan as my whole body throbbed with pain.
    I shoved out both hands, struggling to stop my fall. But I was hurtling too fast now.
    I rolled over the edge of another step—
    —and SPLASH.
    Cold water washed over me as I sank into the soapy water pail.
    I shot my arms up above my head. But I couldn’t stop myself from sinking to the bottom.
    The water felt greasy and the soap made it impossible for me to see. It burned my eyes. And held me down as I struggled to swim to the surface.
    It was like trying to swim in thick pea soup. Finally, I pulled myself to the top of the thick, mucky water. Choking and sputtering, I sucked in a deep breath.
    The piney detergent smell choked my throat. My nose burned. My eyes watered. I kickedand slapped the water, struggling to keep afloat.
    But how long could I swim in this stuff?
    I gazed up to the top of the bucket. Too high for me to reach. I pulled myself to the side and tried to scramble up. But I slid right back into the water.
    No way to climb out. And I wasn’t strong enough to tip the bucket over onto its side so I could be washed out.
    I swam in frantic circles, around and around. My mind whirred. How to get out … How to get out …
    My chest started to burn. My arms were getting heavy. I tried floating on my back for a while. But I couldn’t float and swim in here forever.
    Mom and Dad weren’t getting home till late. No way I could last till they arrived.
    I turned over and started to swim again, doing a slow, lazy breaststroke. The soap burned my eyes and nose. The sharp odor made it hard to breathe.
    My arms ached and throbbed. I knew I couldn’t keep swimming much longer.
    I couldn’t help it. I let out a sob.
    Was I really going to drown in a bucket of soapy water?
    My chest hurt. Pain shot down my chest … my arms … my legs …
    Can’t keep swimming. Can’t do it.
    Can’t breathe … Can’t swim anymore …
    I gave up. My whole body slumped. I folded up like a paper bag—and sank into the cold, greasy water.

16
    As I started to go down, a shadow rolled over me.
    I turned my face to the surface. What made that sound? Like a flap of wind.
    Using my last bit of strength, I pulled myself toward the top. My head bobbed up from the water. Blinking away the burning suds, I stared up into the shadow. A shadow that flapped and shimmered above me.
    Bugsy!
    The flutter of his wings sent the water churning. The waves tossed me from one side of the bucket to the other.
    The bird appeared
enormous
now. Like an airplane rocketing down at me. The dark eyes were as big as basketballs. And the bird’s yellow beak … clicked open and shut … open and shut … like hedge clippers.
    The beak snapped at me, splashing the surface of the tossing water.
    “No!” I cried out, and ducked my head.
    Sputtering in the soapy water, I raised my arms to shield myself.
    Bugsy attacked again. The giant beak snapped at my head. Water splashed hard. I felt myself tossed against the side of the metal bucket.
    “Bugsy — no!”
    He flapped above the bucket, then swooped again.
    And then the giant beak clamped around my waist. I felt it cut into my skin.
    The bird flapped his wings rapidly. I let out a cry as he lifted me from the water. And carried me high into the air.
    “Bugsy — let me down!” My voice came out in a tiny squeak.
    I thrashed my arms and legs. Carrying me like a robin carries a worm, the bird swooped across the living room.
    “Let me down! Let me down!” The sharp beak cut into my sides.
    And then the bird opened his jaws, and I tumbled out.
    I hit the living room floor, landing on my stomach.
“Oof!”
My breath whooshed out of my lungs. Gasping for air, I shot my arms out and tried to crawl to safety.
    On the windowsill I saw the new cage my parents had bought for Bugsy. The door was wide open.